Fair Dealings
by celtic-winds
Summary: Talya's lover was killed by the same person that murdered her parents, now she travels alone seeking justice for her lost love.


It was the mid hour of night, the darkest hour, when the pulse runs slowest and scarlet moon screams out from the grey sky, that three travelers left the city of Perllan. They migrated despairingly, their vigilant glances scanning the shadowy landscape. Although the night was clear and the mystifying crests of the Indara mountains shown dimly in the distance, the dell below was filled with mist.  
"Antwn, can you sense anything?" Rona inquired. Antwn looked into the distance and concentrated his eyes on the fog bellow. "I can sense nothing my love," Antwn said, "The fog is to thick." Rona pulled their daughter closer to her chest, and began to walk again.  
Their feet sank into the mud; the clear waters of the Afon River were just visible below the drifting mist. Their way laid downward, trees jumping at them like enormous hand extending to the grey heavens above. To the right was the Stagg Inn, lit by flaming lanterns. They made their way close but decided to wait until they heard the innkeeper from inside. Rona and Antwn placed their ears near the entrance and heard the hushed voices of the Aouel, and the shuffling of their feet emanating from the inn. Rona stepped back in horror,  
"The Aouel!.They're dead, all of our friends have been murdered by the Aouel." Antwn embraced Rona in an attempted to calm her. She fell to her knees in a state of shock, and tears began rolling down her face.  
"Quite my love, we will make camp by the Afon tonight." Antwn raised her to her feet and they walked, slowly, disappearing into the mist.  
Soon all was quite. The only sounds were the crackles of the fire and the cooing of their sleeping child. Antwn lay awake, resting against a rock, playing with his dagger. Despite his tiredness he could not fall asleep till his family reached the safety on the other side of the Afon. Although the river was calm and the forest quite, Antwn knew evil laid all around.  
For almost six weeks they have been on the run, pushed through the highlands by the Aouel. This game of cat and mouse seemed tiring to them, it was the only way to insure their survival. They were now headed for the city of Prydi across the Afon. There, Antwn hoped to meet with his friend Iuchar in the safety of the Trystan Empire. The morning broke foggy but the fog cleared shortly after sunrise. The sun peered through the shady trees and the remaining mist parted with the cool breeze. Rona awoke with the large snap of the fire. She yawned cracking her back then gathered up her sleeping child. Antwn crouched along the river filling his hand with water and slowly rasing it to his face when the Aouel appeared coming over the hill.  
The soldiers leapt on Rona dragging her to the ground. She sent up one  
arm and gave a loud scream as she fell.  
Antwn grabbed his dagger throwing through the throat of the solider nearest him. Then he sent his fist flying through the air hitting another in the mouth and one hard in the gut. He jumped beckoning his dagger back to him and sliced the face of a soldier as he came down. Antwn leapt over a soldier lunging at him kicked in another the chest sending him flying to the ground. Then he stuck his dagger in the back of a pathetic Aouel trying to rise. Running near Rona he preformed a back flip toppling one of the soldiers. In the flurry of his movements he killed several more Aouel who rushed him form all sides.  
With the flick of his wrist, he sent his dagger spinning toward the Captain. He ducked missing him by meager inches to decapitate his high guard standing next to him. A fountain of blood sprayed over the Captain till the distorted body toppled to the ground. The dagger flew back to Antwn and he readied himself for the next foe. The Captain drew his sword and thruster it into the back of Antwn's neck. His eyes shoot wide open as blood poured from his mouth and neck and the grip on his dagger loosened as the Captain twisted his sword around in Antwn's neck till his head became too heavy and dropped to the ground. The Captain with drew his sword from the lifeless corps, steadily walking over to Rona.  
Two soldiers held her in place and a third raped her of her infinitesimal child. The Captain walked over to her and pushed his sword through her abdomen. She gave out horrifying cries as he slowly moved his blade up her body.  
Rona fell dieing to the ground, bleeding heavily. She watches as the soldiers walked into the distance. The mist swallowed their figures and they were gone. 


End file.
